Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lavandula  plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; durable narrow leaves; freely flowering habit; dark violet blue and purple-colored flowers positioned on strong and erect peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ANOUK DELUXE 1956’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas, commonly referred to as Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’.

The new Lavender plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nuis, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new strong Lavandula plants with attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2008 of a proprietary selection of Lavandula stoechas identified as code number 400, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,685, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor during the summer of 2009 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Nuis, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Nuis, The Netherlands since the autumn of 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Durable narrow leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark violet blue and purple-colored flowers positioned on         strong and erect peduncles.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in branching habit as plants of the new Lavandula are more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Anouk’, primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Lavandula are more compact and mounding than plants of ‘Anouk’. In addition, plants of the new Lavandula flower earlier than plants of ‘Anouk’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Silver Anouk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,068. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ from plants of ‘Silver Anouk’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more compact, bushier and         denser than plants of ‘Silver Anouk’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Silver Anouk’ differ in leaf         color'.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and following detailed description were grown in 2.3-liter containers during the spring summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were pinched two times and were twelve months old when the photograph and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lavandula             stoechas identified as code number 400, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.— Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,685. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures ranging from 14° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures ranging from 14° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three to             four weeks at temperatures ranging from 14° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four to             six weeks at temperatures ranging from 14° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             broadly upright plant habit; freely branching habit, dense             and bushy appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit;             flowers arranged in verticillasters on crowded spikes with             showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Plant height.—About 17.7 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 28.8 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 17.             Length, from stem to base of inflorescence: About 8.5 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 9.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Densely             tomentose. Color: Close to between 145A; pubescence, close             to 157A to 157D.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 4.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; revolute.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately tomentose.             Fragrance: Strongly aromatic, pungent. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             137B to 137C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             138C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B;             venation, close to N137B; pubescence, close to 157A to 157B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B to 137C;             venation, close to 143C; pubescence, close to 157A to 157B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single flowers             arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded spikes;             freely flowering, about 150 flowers developing per             inflorescence; flowers tubular with five lobes;             inflorescences with showy terminal bracts.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; continuous             from late spring into the late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual inflorescences             last about ten days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to N77A; apex, close to 59A;             base, close to 145A to 145B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 5.1 cm. Diameter, apex:             About 1.7 cm. Diameter, base: About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3 mm. Depth (height): About 7             mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.             Length: About 7 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Roughly spatulate; lower 62.5% fused into a tube. Apex:             Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N92A; tube, close to N155A; base, close             to 145D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             N92A; tube, close to N155A; base, close to 145D.         -   Terminal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 7 to             15 positioned at inflorescence apex. Length: About 2.2 cm.             Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex:             Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 79C.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each whorl of five             flowers is subtended by a single flower bract. Length: About             8 mm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Broadly rhomboidal. Apex:             Aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Moderately tomentose. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 71C; venation, close to N79A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 1 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Densely tomentose. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N77A; base,             close to 145A to 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N77A; base, close to 145C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: Close to 143B and 144B; pubescence, close             to 157C to 157D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Reniform.             Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 85B to             85D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 22A.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to             N186A. Style length: About 3.5 mm. Style color: Close to             155C. Ovary color: Close to 143B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lavandula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lavandula     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate high     temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 1956’ as illustrated and described. 